Next day our visiting Kubote engei, we went to Kumamoto for Higo Gayu-kai(club) exhibition. The Gayu-kai is belonged to Gasyo-en. As you can see the Gayu-kai is very high level, some club members are regulars of big shows such as Gafu, Syuga, and Kokufu. This time they held a popular vote.

No.8, Mr.N is ex winner of Gafu-ten.

No.3, Mr.Y is my husband's bonyu(bonsai friend) and he had informed us about this Gayu-kai's exhibition. He is a pot collector. Some of his collection have been registered as Kityo-pot at Gafu-ten that appeared on the Kindai bonsai magazine.

No.4, Mr.A is a chairman of the Gayu-kai. For me, this mame display was next to vote.

This display is all Osteomeles subrotunda.

No.12, Mr.NM is a winner of 2011&2012 Syuga-ten for the middle section of shohin display.

No.13, Mr.O is also a winner of this year's Syuga-ten for the big section of shohin display. Interestingly, this display is exactly same as this picture...same trees, companion plant, pots, stands but two things are different. Can you figure out? The Chaenomeles speciosa, lower right in the rack has kept its foliage and the Japanese black pine's needles at the top haven't been cut yet. My husband voted this display.

No.15, Mrs. M is a winner of the popular vote. I voted her display.

The Gayu-kai will probably hold their exhibition next spring. I really look forward to seeing it next time.

Kubote engei(nursery) is situated in Buzen city of Fukuoka prefecture, they had held their 35th anniversary bonsai exhibition on 25th to 27th October. Most of trees were exhibited at Kokufu-ten in the past and some are even registered as Kityo-bonsai(precious bonsai...kind of best of best ) by Japan Bonsai Association.

The owner of the nursery, Mr.Oza had gathered these treasure trees from here and there. I could imagine his effort and hardness. At the venue, I asked a staff with hesitating if I could take photos because as you know many big shows in Japan are forbidden to take them. But he easily answered "Certainly yes". That is a good point of local exhibitions. All photos I took are Kokufu trees. Here we go.

Shishigashira acer.

Japanese white pine.

Ruribyoutan(Sabia japonica). I love blue cherry like fruits.

The top plate is the Kityo bonsai ID. Below says that the tree(Acer palmatum...the photo is right under here) had been accepted at 67th and 80th Kokufu.